Caley Mad In Berks

Surely the worst result of the season. 2nd half sounded like a real horror show. Hogg and Davis out for Ibrox! Hard to see how Terry can motivate the team for next week. All teams below us have a game in hand. Can it get any worse?

Just finished watching the match on Alba. Well worth our win. I thought we controlled the second half apart from the last few minutes. Several good performances today - I thought Davis was outstanding, well worth his MOM. I particurarly liked his short interview at the end where it he talked about the team spirit. That shone through today and I feel a lot more comfortable that we can now stay away from the bottom. But we will have to sort out our defending at set pieces where we were all over the shop. My heart was in my mouth every corner St Mirren got. Gillet looked a lot better today, particularly going forward. McKay had a couple of nice touches. Its a pity he slipped just after winning the ball from their keeper with an open goal in front of him. Probably worth another go though. Well done lads, I'm off to the pub now to celebrate.

Great result. Off to watch it on BBC Alba now. Looking forward to seeing how McKay played.

Can't really see Butcher having the cash to make any new defensive purchases in January, so I expect this newspaper report, if true, is just him trying to motivate what he has got. I know we've had lots of injuries but I don't get the feeling that Butcher knows what his best defensive line up is. He has certainly tried a few different permutations. Losing 2 goals a game indicates that he hasn't got it right yet. I sincerely hope he cracks it soon.

He did get a few chances earlier in the season when Birmingham's other strikers were not available for one reason or another. He obviously didn't impress enough to secure his place. It is interesting to guess, that with the complete lack of penalties ICT have had, just how many goals would he have scored for us so far this season. No more than Tade would be my view.

I notice Sutherland came on in the 90th minute. What on earth is the point of that? Won't be long before the knives are out for Butcher at this rate!

Billocks. He cost us 3 points. You're getting soft in your old age!

At last! Must say I'm surprised, but delighted, that the authorities have at last showed a bit of common sense by ruling in our favour. Doesn't help our league position however, in as much as it virtually guaranteed us losing 3 points in a game we showed we were well up for until the sending off.

If that was seen as intentional violent conduct then, I'm afraid football as I learned it is finished as a contact sport. We might as well ban tackling and jumping to compete for high balls. Make every game a 'bounce' game, and then, if off side was scrapped as well, there would be no need for referees and linesmen at all. Then half the posters on here would have nothing to write about!

It is very rarely that I jump on the bandwagon of blaming refereees. However the Tansey sending off was a joke. Even if it had been called for a second yellow it would have been harsh. How the referee could see from where he was is a mystery. He was completely conned by the Celtic player going down like a sack of spuds. No way was it a straight red challenge. I really feel that referees should think more before they use the red card option. In today's case he completely spoiled an even game. Who knows what repercussions it may have for ICT this season where our league situation is precarious anyhow. Surely in open play situations, not I would agree for clear cut scoring opportunities, the straight red should be used more sparingly. That way the game itself and the enjoyment of hard working fans spending their 'hard earned' is not totally ruined. I would not be against 'citing' as used in rugby where post match reviews could take place to judge and decide on suspensions if the referee clearly missed someting. Trying to take some positives from today I thought that Meekings and Davis were our best players. Tokely MOM ?? I don't think so. He was caught on the wrong side of the attacker a couple of times leading to Celtic chances in the first half. But, I'm still hopeful that with more than half the season left we can climb the table to safety.

Of course it would be good for the Highlands if we had two representatives in the SPL, even if the other one is County. As a bit of an aside, when I was a lad in Inverness watching Caley, Ross County were never hated as they are today. It was Elgin who were always seen as the 'bad guys', probably because they were usually our main rivals for honours. I imagine this County thing only developed when they got into the Scottish league under their own steam, and we had to merge with Thistle. But that's another bag of worms best not reopened. So back to present day, I think it would only be good for ICT to have County along side us in the SPL. And better days financially for both clubs with probably near full houses at all the derbies. Looking at Division 1 currently, it is only County who have never played in the top division of Scottish football, in my memory. And its certainly a division which would be hard for us to get out of if we were to be relegated again. So far better for County to be up with us than the other way round.

Yes, best save ever by an ICT keeper without a doubt.

I find it hard to believe that Terry, no matter how friendly he is/was with Gazza, would have seriously considered, for more than a couple of seconds, taking up to Inverness as a coach. Surely that would have been madness. Gazza's had more 'second chances' and 'new starts' than I've had hot dinners. Time to leave him, I'm afraid, to his inexorable downward spiral, which only he, himself, can to anything about.

I too have just watched it on Alba, having managed to avoid hearing the score all afternoon. Davis and Shinnie really look the part. Also good to see Tade's regular hard work pay off with a couple. Only surprise is how we managed to let them score three! Roll on the Tics!

Yes, I'll be keeping the TV and radio off till 5.30pm. Maybe I'll do a crash course in Gaelic so that I can understand the commentator. More likely I'll watch with sound turned down.

I come down firmly on the side with those who think it will be a bad thing for Scottish football if Hearts, arguably the 3rd best side in Scotland, go under. Its unfortunate that they've been saddled with mad Vlad over the past few years. Not only has he been a disaster financially, but some of his managerial appointments, and sackings, have been ludicrous in the extreme. Nor do I subscribe to the view that they are a horrible team with horrible fans as a previous poster said. I've been to Tynecastle several times, never felt threatened there, and in fact it has been a fairly happy ground for ICT. Who can forget the memorable Cup win there a few years ago? Personally I hope Hearts survive and do not get saddled with an admin penalty which would relegate them. I would much rather survive in the SPL through our own efforts even if it becomes a 2 horse relegation avoidance exercise with Dunfermline.

I said that at the time he moved to Birmingham he would be predominently a bench warmer, and that seems to be what is happening. Has anyone noticed how well Crawley Town are doing? He would have been better going there for a year (on probably not much less money), score a hat full of goals, enhance his profile in Englandshire, and then move on to a big club.

Birmingham, with Rooney playing, on live on ITV4 right now (thurs 15th Sep, 8.30pm) Hooked after 1 hour, just after going 2-0 down. Adam very busy in first half- missed one great chance. No service to him in 2nd half. At half time Strachan(pundit) referred to him as a 'big Highland lad'.

Sounds like a prudent signing given our injuries. Look forward to seeing him.

Much as I hope it will, and should, be overturned, I will be amazed if the appeal succeeds!

The more I see the penalties, the more I think the ref was compensating for not giving the two hand balls in the first half, both of which were stronger shouts than the ones he gave.

ffs what's the point of Esson making a great save if the defenders don't give him any help by letting Edu in first from the rebound?

Looked to be a very harsh decision. I suppose the ref thought Rangers were due a penalty after all their hand ball claims earlier.

Only saw yesterday's game on BBC Alba. Lucky to get a draw imo, but then again we were unlucky to lose last week, so it balances out I suppose. I must admit I just don't get the almost universal rubishing of Proctor this season. Admittedly, when everyone is fully fit he will be no more than a squad player, but yesterday he didn't do much wrong in the 25 mins or so he was on. Unlike Tokely who imo was the most culpable for the first two goals, and who I see dropping to the bench quite soon. Of all the new boys Tansey clearly seems to be the most promising, with Piermayr showing promise. Tade shows lots of hustle and bustle but will never be a prolific goalscorer - more of a super sub, a la Bayne as many others have said. Doran and Hayes still to turn up this season, neither seems match fit to me. But, are we down hearted? Well, yes, a bit, but trying to remain optimistic. Good that we have an easy game next week against a very mediocre Rangers.

Was Foran offside? Was Tade fouled in the box before he fell? Was Hayes fouled before he lost the ball leading to the goal? All these questions are academic as none of the decisions went in our favour. Am I the only one who thought that it was a very soft goal and that Esson should have saved it? I know he is a great keeper and has saved us countless times. He is therefore entitled to the odd mistake. In my eyes this was one of them, unfortunately costing us two points.